Modi’s Foreign Policy Has More Spin & Dynamism

PM Modi’s foreign policy has put India in a better position in International affairs and politics. Although he has been criticized a lot of his frequent foreign trips, recently, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor appreciated him.

Former Minister of State for External Affairs said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has brought “dynamism” to India’s foreign policy. He also mentioned that current foreign policy lacks consistency in the country’s neighborhood strategy.

Tharoor particularly mentioned neighbor countries- China and Pakistan in the light of the unending cross-border exchange of fire and the Doklam standoff. PM has reduced our foreign policy into PR and Marketing exercises, which is not good for India’s substantive status in the world, he continued.

“Modi has brought a lot of energy and dynamism to the conduct of (the country’s) foreign policy. He travels tirelessly and all of this is good. He makes a very energetic impression wherever he goes. That is the positive side,” Tharoor said,

Congress MP said, there were areas where we have concerns.

“One is the complete incoherence of policy on Pakistan where he has veered up and down, and repeatedly up and down in a way that is not just confusing but bewildering,” he said, noting how a “saree-shawl diplomacy” and attending wedding and birthday celebrations have ended up in a complete “cold war” situation between the two countries.

While Modi keeps repeating that there would be no engagement with Pakistan till cross-border is stopped, there were unexpected announcements made that NSAs met in Bangkok. In the last two years, things have become terrible, referring to the increased number of terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir.

The second aspect of the concern, Tharoor said, was about the failure of the government to level with the Indian people on foreign policy issues.

He referred to the Doklam stand-off with China “where the whole disengagement was spun as a huge diplomatic victory”.